Hate buzzwords if you must, but our affinity for them may stem from a basic human desire for acceptance, experts say. Often, people use buzzwords not to convey factual meaning, but to show they belong to a social group, according to socio-linguist Robert Leonard.

As a result, we are constantly “manufacturing” new buzzwords, he says.

That could explain the ever-growing list of clichéd corporate buzzwords, including “synergy,” “optimization,” “leverage,” “pivot” and “cross-functional.”

The rank-and-file are guilty of using buzzwords, too: LinkedIn recently compiled a list of the most overused words in members’ profiles and uncovered a few gems, including “dynamic,” “organizational” and “effective.”

Because such catch-all words tend to be vague, they’re usually not the most efficient mode of communication, Mr. Leonard says. Two people having a dialogue about “innovation,” for example, might have completely different perceptions of what the word means.

Readers, start thinking out of the box: What are your least favorite buzzwords? What buzzwords are you guilty of using?

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